A 65,000 sq ft terminal is under construction in the first phase.
Over a month before the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced that the first phase of the international airport in the city will be ready by December 15. The airport will be called the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport and will be able to accommodate Boeing 737, Airbus 319, and Airbus 320 aircraft.
The chief minister, who visited the airport site with Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister of State for Civil Aviation, VK Singh, said Ayodhya is emerging as "an epitome of New India", aligning with Prime Minister Modi's vision, according to a statement by the Uttar Pradesh government.
After holding review meetings with key officials, Yogi Adityanath said, "Initially, Ayodhya had a modest airstrip spanning 178 acres, but now it is being built as a major international airport."
He said the state government has provided 821 acres of land for the project and work is being undertaken on a war footing under the supervision of the Airport Authority of India. This, he said, was part of his government's commitment to ensuring the development of Ayodhya as well as providing essential infrastructure to the city's residents.
Mr Scindia said efforts have been made to reflect the cultural ethos of Ayodhya in the airport. A 65,000 sq ft terminal is under construction in the first phase, with a capacity to handle 2-3 flights per hour. Work on a 2,200-metre runway is also underway to facilitate the landing of aircraft like the Boeing 737, Airbus 319, and Airbus 320.
The minister said the length of the runway will be extended to 3,700 metres in the second phase, allowing wide-bodied aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 777 to land directly in Ayodhya. The area of the terminal will be 5 lakh square feet.
PM Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram Temple, which is scheduled for January 22.